Teyana Taylor has spoken candidly about her decision to return to her music career.
Earlier this year, the actress and singer-songwriter earned her first Grammy nod, with her fourth album, Escape Room, nominated in the Best R&B Album category.
Escape Room was released five years after Teyana announced her retirement from the industry in 2020, following the launch of her third studio album, The Album. At the time, she admitted to feeling "super under-appreciated" as an artist.
In the years that followed, Teyana concentrated on her acting career, appearing in high-profile projects including 2021's Coming 2 America and the critically acclaimed 2023 drama A Thousand and One.
However, speaking in a recent interview with People, Teyana revealed that she felt compelled to return to music on her own terms, ultimately releasing Escape Room in August.
"I think what lured me back was just me coming back on my terms," the 35-year-old explained. "All I ever wanted was to feel appreciated, and I wanted to feel utilised. I didn't want to be stuck or put into one box."
Teyana went on to describe her Grammy nomination as an "answered prayer", admitting the recognition had been deeply emotional.
"Everything is happening, everything I ever dreamed of. (It's) one answered prayer after another," she gushed.
The singer also acknowledged that her emotions have been mixed since the nomination announcement.
"You have all these different thoughts and emotions that go through your head where it's just like, 'Oh, my God, this is so amazing,'" Teyana shared. "Of course, you feel like every project deserved that recognition. What made this one more worthy than the other one?"
The star added that she feels the nomination is "for every album that I put out that I felt like was underrated or not seen".
